[1705] in linux-net channel archive
Re: Linux as a dial-up router
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dave Platt)
Fri Jan 26 03:13:03 1996
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 96 11:24:49 PST
From: dplatt@3do.com (Dave Platt)
To: linux-net@vger.rutgers.edu
> If you are just trying to exchange email, especially over very bad phone,
> vsat or radio links then take a hard look at uucp
I agree. In particular, I'd recommend taking a look at Telebit modems
which support the PEP protocol (e.g. the TrailBlazer Plus, WorldBlazer,
etc.). This protocol really excels at maintaining a decent-quality connection
over low-quality phone lines... I think it could talk over a "phone line"
consisting of two tin cans and a piece of string. Most PEP modems support
"uucp protocol spoofing", which helps reduce the impact of the long
transmission delay of a satellite link.
The disadvantage to PEP is that it's proprietary - you'll have to buy
Telebit modems to use it. It has lost most of its popularity here in the
U.S. thanks to the availability of V.34 modems, which are faster and
are reasonably well standardized. On the other hand, this means that there
are probably quite a few companies (and some ISPs) who have a bunch of
Telebit modems sitting around unused, and would be willing to sell them
for a bargain price.
Over clean lines, V.34 wins - no question about it. Over dirty lines,
PEP can often do 9600 bps or better when V.34 won't even connect, and
V.32 is forced to fall back to 4800 or worse.
